Calender rack



May v F. M. MORTON 9 8 CALENDAR RACK Filed Oct. 11. 1926 Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,627,988 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. MORTON, OF PHOENIX CI TY, ALABAMA.

CALENDEE RACK.

Application filed October 11, 1326; Seriai No. 140,987.

The invention relates to improvements in calender racks oi the general type discloed in my U. S. Patent No. 1,et95,920, of May 27, 1924.

The patented structure embodies a rack, a lap pin bearing head having a longitudinally slidable connection with said rack, inter-engageable elements on the rack and head to operatively connect them and normally prevent the head from sliding upon the rack, and yieldable means to normally hold said elements in engagement, said means being releasable when greater than normal pressure is applied to the head. means are also provided in said patented structure, for releasing the yieldable means to permit manual return of the headto its normal position, after said head has been shifted along the rack by abnormal strain, said meansthen serving to again stress said yieldable means to place it in condition to again function. If the yieldable means was not set at the proper strength, it would not properly function, and it is one object of the present invention to provide a novel relation of parts whereby said yieldable means may be easily set only at-the proper strength.

Another object is to provide a new and improved construction, in which novel provision has been made for insuring'proper positioning of the head relative to the rack, when said head is returned upon said rack, after pressure-efiected sliding of the head.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the dscription being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof the improved calender rack.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof. The numeral 3 designates a rack whose lower end is provided with the usual teeth 4 for coaction with the well known means on a meachine with which the rack is used. Near its upper end, this rack is provided with a downwardly facing shoulder 5 and at an elevation below this shoulder, the rack is formed with an upwardly facing shoulder 6, the two, shoulders being disposed at opposite edges of the rack. A lap pin bearing head 7, having the usual rollers 8 for engagement with the lap pin, is engaged with the upper end of the rack 3, said head. being provided with a vertical guide 9 which normally surrounds the portion of the rack between the shoulders 5 and 6, the ends of said guide then engaging the shoulders, as shown. The upper end 10 of the guide 9 is preferably hardened ior co-action with chilled or shoulder 5 and this shoulder may be similarly treated. I

The head 7, as in the patented structure, embodies a horizontally projecting guide 11, in which a plunger 12 and a coiled spring 13 are housed, movementof the plunger hub18,'the spring 13 is placed under the proper compression to insure perfect operation of the device. When the spring is vstressed to this extent, if undue upward force should be exerted upon the head 7 by the lap pin, this head will laterally cant upon the rack 3, permitting disengagement of the shoulder 10 from the shoulder 5 and allowingupward sliding of the head upon the rack, so that no injury to any parts will result. lVhen the machine attendant overcomes the difiiculty which has caused release of the head 7 and wishes to return this head to its normal working position, he loosens the screw 16 until the head may either drop by gravity or be easily moved to its lowered position, at which position, it encounters the shoulder 6, which properly locates it with respect to the rack bar. Then, upon again tightening the screw 16 and consequent stressing of the spring 18, the plunger 12 is so projected as to engage the rack 3 and cause tilting of the guide 9 again to the operative position shown in Fig. 2, at which position the shoulders 5 and 10 contact with each other. The screw 16 is tightened to the limit permitted by the hub 18 and as this limit is invariable, it is insured that the spring 13 may have no more than the proper amount of stress imparted to it. Thus, there is no danger of the device failingto trip when it should do so.

When the screw As excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed, they are preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

1. A device of the class described comprising a rack, a lap pin bearing head having a longitudinally slidable connection with said rack, inter-engageable elements on the rack and head to operatively connect them and to norm-ally prevent said head from sliding upon the rack, yieldable means to normally hold said elements in engage ment, said means being releasable when abnormal pressure is applied to said head, manual means for stressing said yieldable means to place it in condition to function, and invariable means for limiting the movement of said stressing means, insuring that it shall impart no more than predetermined strength to said yieldable means.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said head having a guide transverse to the raclc, said. yieldable means embodying a spring within said guide, said stressing means consisting of a manually operable screw threaded through the outer end of said guide, said limiting means consisting of a shoulder on the screw for cooperation with the outer end of said guide, said shoulder having fixed invariable relation with said screw.

3. A device of the class described comprising a rack having a shoulder at one edge facing in one direction and a longitudinally spaced shoulder at its other edge facing in the opposite direction, a lap pin bearing head having a guide receiving the portion of the rack between said shoulders and having its ends engaged with the latter, said guide being of greater width than said rack to permit lateral canting thereon allowing the guide to clear the first named shoulder, spring means carried by said head and engaging said other edge of the rack to relatively position the rack and head and hold said guide engaged with both shoulders until abnormal pressure is exerted on said head, said spring means then permitting the aforesaid canting of the head and sliding thereof away from the second shoulder, and manually operated means for releasing said spring means to allow the head to easily return into engagement with said second shoulder, said manually operated means then serving to again stress said spring means to place it in operative condition, and by so doing serving to tilt the head to its original position at which it again engages the first named shoulder.

l. A device of the class described comprising a rack, a lap pin bearing head movably connected with said rack, interchangeable elements on the rack and head to operatively connect them and to normally prevent said head from moving with respect to the rack, yieldable means to normally hold said elements in engagement, said means being releasable when abnormal pressure is applied to said head, manual means for stressing said yieldable means to place it in condition to function, and invariable means for limiting the movement of said stressing means, insuring that it shall impart no more than predetermined strength to said yieldable means.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

FRANK M. MORTON. 

